Various types of food containers are known in the prior art. However, what is needed is a disposable dish with integral trash bag devised to cover a food-receiving element and a food product contained therein with a bag for storage, protection against insects, and also for waste disposal. The instant device includes a biodegradable food-receiving element, such as a plate or a bowl, configured to receive a food product therein and a biodegradable disposable cover for the food-receiving element to reduce waste and promote environmental quality. The cover has an elastomeric outer edge continuously releasably attached to an underside of an outer perimeter of the food-receiving element. A fastener, such as an adhesive, a length of tape, staples, stitches, or combinations thereof, is disposed on the underside of the outer perimeter. The outer edge is further releasably attached to the fastener. The attachment of the cover to the food-receiving element makes the cover readily available for use to protect a food product contained by the food-receiving element from pesky insects and to provide a bag for waste disposal of the food-receiving element, while also accommodating clean up of an area, such as a picnic area or party room, in which the present device is being utilized.
In an unexpanded condition, the cover is removably disposed on and has close-fitting contact with only the bottom surface of the food-receiving element and conforms to the bottom surface to avoid increasing bulk to the food-receiving element. The cover is configured to be transformed from the unexpanded condition on the bottom surface to an expanded condition only upon action by a user to transform the cover from the unexpanded condition to the expanded condition in which the cover is configured to cover only the entire food-receiving element and the food product contained in the food-receiving element in the expanded condition. The cover closely fits the food-receiving element bottom surface in the unexpanded condition to avoid increasing bulk to the food-receiving element.